ALL THE USUAL FUN, AND STAWBERRYLAND, TOO.Byline: ERIC LEACH Staff Writer OXNARD -- Tens of thousands of Southern Californians are expected to gather in Ventura County this weekend for the 23rd California Strawberry Festival A Strawberry Festival is an event and celebration in many towns in North America. In most instances, areas around these towns are, or have been, deeply involved in the production and marketing of strawberries, and the festivals are usually held in late spring around the time of the in celebration of the state's harvest and one of America's favorite fruits. ``The festival is getting more popular, and staying true to its mission of connecting with the community and giving back to the community,'' said festival spokeswoman Lisa Carey, who has been attending the event for nearly 20 years. ``When people are eating all these great strawberry foods they are contributing to the fundraising of the nonprofit A corporation or an association that conducts business for the benefit of the general public without shareholders and without a profit motive. Nonprofits are also called not-for-profit corporations. Nonprofit corporations are created according to state law. groups that are a part of the festival.'' The festival attracted 69,000 people last year and generated more than $287,000 for Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, nonprofits. Since the festival began in 1984, it has raised more than $2 million for such groups. The event also helps showcase the $1.3-billion-a-year California strawberry industry and Ventura County's biggest crop. The peak of the harvest, which was a little late because of March and April rains, came just in time for the this year's festival. This year, organizers have added the Strawberry Promenade, a section featuring award-winning strawberry recipes, said Carolyn O'Donnell, a spokeswoman for the California Strawberry Commission. ``We're finding that for the vast majority of Americans the strawberry is their favorite fruit, both adults and children,'' she said. ``They are pretty, they're sweet, they are flavorful flavorful - flavour and they are easy to eat.'' The promenade also will showcase how a strawberry grows and what it takes to raise them in fields and at home. There are puppet puppet, human or animal figure, generally of a small size and performing on a miniature stage, manipulated by an unseen operator who usually speaks the dialogue. shows and comedy acts, juggling, magic and adventure shows in the Strawberryland For Kids area. A children's favorite is the contest in which they have to eat strawberry pies with their hands held behind their backs. There will be more than 50 food booths offering everything from cotton candy, funnel cake Funnel cake or funnelcake is a regional specialty food originally associated with the Pennsylvania Dutch region of the United States. Funnel cakes are quite popular around the United States at ballparks, fairs and festivals. and build-your-own strawberry shortcakes
Strawberry Shortcake is a licensed character owned by American Greetings, originally used in greeting cards and expanded to include dolls, posters, and other products. to strawberry pizza, strawberry tacos and strawberry egg rolls. The music throughout the day Saturday and Sunday includes classic and Latin rock, country, big band, swing, zydeco zydeco (zī`dĭkō'), American musical form originating among the African-American Creoles of Louisiana. Drawing on elements of traditional Cajun music as well as jazz, country and western, and blues, it is characterized by French lyrics, , soul and blues. Parking is free, but organizers advise visitors to come early because of the crowds, take advantage of one of the free shuttle buses or use Amtrak Amtrak, the National Railroad Passenger Corp., authorized to operate virtually all intercity passenger railroad routes in the United States. Amtrak was created by Congress in 1970 in response to more than two decades of continuous operating deficits by privately run , which connects to the Strawberry Express shuttle at the Oxnard Transportation Center near Oxnard Boulevard and Third Street. eric.leach(at)dailynews.com (805) 583-7602 IF YOU GO The California Strawberry Festival is from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Strawberry Meadows of College Park, 3250 S. Rose Ave. in Oxnard. Admission is $12 for adults, $8 for seniors and active military personnel, $5 for ages 5-12 and free for children 4 and younger. For information about the festival and transportation, call (888) 288-9242 or visit www.strawberry-fest.org. For train schedules, call (800) 872-7245 (USA-RAIL) or go to www.amtrak.com. CAPTION(S): box Box: IF YOU GO (see text) |
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